Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission

Guests at Donna Harnsberger's Christmas party last December said her house hadn't looked so good in years. Hundreds of lights draped the peeling paint and creaking balustrades of the 94-year-old mansion. Brightly colored foil masked the cracks in some of its 15 rooms. Valets parked cars, and a pianist hired from a department store played Christmas carols under elaborate chandeliers.

Sweet. Los Angeles officials are taking steps to commemorate the city's confectionery culture, just in time for Valentine's Day. Members of the Cultural Heritage Commission agreed Thursday to consider designating the original home of See's Candies, near Western Avenue and Beverly Boulevard, as a historic landmark. Nomination papers calling for recognition of the first See's candy kitchen and retail shop were filed at City Hall in an empty 5-pound See's box by candy lover Charlene Nichols.

Re "It's your history, but it's our sign," Opinion, July 26 Darryl Holter misstated the role of the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in approving historic cultural monument status for the famed Felix the Cat rooftop sign and showroom. The commission does not make the final determination on such designations: The Felix nomination still requires approval by the full City Council. Historic designation in Los Angeles also does not ensure that any building "will remain in place in perpetuity."

Re "It's your history, but it's our sign," Opinion, July 26 Darryl Holter misstated the role of the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in approving historic cultural monument status for the famed Felix the Cat rooftop sign and showroom. The commission does not make the final determination on such designations: The Felix nomination still requires approval by the full City Council. Historic designation in Los Angeles also does not ensure that any building "will remain in place in perpetuity."

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission has added the 62-year-old Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch bakery building in Glassell Park to the city's list of historic-cultural monuments. Jay Oren, staff architect with the commission, said the bakery and corporate headquarters, reminiscent of a 16th-Century Dutch townhouse, "was part of the most successful corporate effort in the history of L.A. to establish image through architecture."

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will review a city councilman's proposal today to create a cultural center adjacent to the historic San Fernando Mission. Los Angeles City Councilman Alex Padilla, who represents the northeast Valley, has proposed a center that would feature the culture of the San Fernando Valley much the way Barnsdall Art Park does for Hollywood and Plaza de la Raza and El Pueblo do for East Los Angeles.

Dr. Amarjit S. Marwah has been elected president, and Velma Marsh Taylor, vice president, of the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, a division of the city's Cultural Affairs Department. Marwah, a commission member since 1981, is a dental surgeon. He has published numerous scientific articles and has been a guest lecturer at UCLA and Bombay University in India, where he completed his preliminary medical education.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to grant official landmark status to a 28-year-old Pacific Palisades house despite the panel chairwoman's earlier concerns that building might be too new for such designation. The matter had provoked much discussion about Los Angeles' role as a showcase for modern architecture.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission has proposed adding three sections of the Times Mirror Square complex downtown to the city's list of historic-cultural monuments. The buildings, headquarters of the Los Angeles Times, were built in 1934 and 1948 and are considered prime examples of the Moderne style as well as important symbols of local history, commission members said at a meeting Wednesday.

Re "It's your history, but it's our sign," Opinion, July 27 This article points out how a few people in a position of power can take over private property under the guise of "it's good for the city." The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission designated the Felix Chevrolet sign a historic cultural monument. It now has the cat sign in its bag without even having to pay a dime. The dealership's owners, the Holter family, cannot move or change the sign.

Re "It's your history, but it's our sign," Opinion, July 27 This article points out how a few people in a position of power can take over private property under the guise of "it's good for the city." The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission designated the Felix Chevrolet sign a historic cultural monument. It now has the cat sign in its bag without even having to pay a dime. The dealership's owners, the Holter family, cannot move or change the sign.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted Thursday to recommend that the San Vicente Boulevard building that houses Dutton's Brentwood Books be designated as a historic-cultural monument. The matter will next be considered by the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee, or PLUM, and then by the full council. After the 4-0 commission vote (with one abstention), about 50 supporters broke into cheers and applause in a 10th-floor City Hall hearing room.

Los Angeles' favorite cat seems to have nine lives. The three-sided "Felix" automobile dealership sign near downtown that has survived earthquakes, fires, riots and recession escaped another close call Thursday as the city's Cultural Heritage Commission voted to declare it a historic-cultural monument.

With architectural photographer Julius Shulman helping to plead the case for the home of Dutton's Brentwood Books, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted Thursday to consider declaring the complex a historic-cultural monument. Four commissioners voted to follow a staff recommendation that the building warranted further investigation as a well-preserved example of mid-20th century California modern architecture.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted Wednesday to grant historic status to an abandoned Pacific Electric subway tunnel and substation building near downtown. The decision is likely to allow a developer to break ground for a 276-unit apartment complex around the structures before the end of the year, while it thwarted a community group's alternative proposal for a public "graffiti art park" on the gritty Belmont Tunnel site.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will review a city councilman's proposal today to create a cultural center adjacent to the historic San Fernando Mission. Los Angeles City Councilman Alex Padilla, who represents the northeast Valley, has proposed a center that would feature the culture of the San Fernando Valley much the way Barnsdall Art Park does for Hollywood and Plaza de la Raza and El Pueblo do for East Los Angeles.

Studio City residents who hope to turn a neighborhood carwash into an official Los Angeles cultural monument reached new heights Friday to keep their campaign in the public spotlight. They said they have arranged to illuminate the 55-foot-tall steel boomerang-shaped tower atop the carwash with spotlights at night. The lights were installed on the roof of the carwash at the southeast corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards by gas station operator Pat Galati.

With architectural photographer Julius Shulman helping to plead the case for the home of Dutton's Brentwood Books, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted Thursday to consider declaring the complex a historic-cultural monument. Four commissioners voted to follow a staff recommendation that the building warranted further investigation as a well-preserved example of mid-20th century California modern architecture.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission is set to decide today whether to start a process that could lead to the Woodland Hills Library being designated a historic-cultural monument. Los Angeles Public Library officials have decided to tear down the local library and replace it with one twice its size after years of complaints that it is too small and lacks sufficient parking.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission has proposed adding three sections of the Times Mirror Square complex downtown to the city's list of historic-cultural monuments. The buildings, headquarters of the Los Angeles Times, were built in 1934 and 1948 and are considered prime examples of the Moderne style as well as important symbols of local history, commission members said at a meeting Wednesday.